Nine months. It had been nine months since the Particle Accelerator had exploded, and set us all at unease.
Mostly, because Barry Allen had been in a coma ever since. I had woken up a day later that night, with no recollection besides the accelerator exploding.
In the hospital bed, Barry kept dying, and it gave us all an unexplainable amount of worry.
Soon, Harrison Wells, whom was the reason this happened, also affected and now in a wheelchair himself, had offered to bring Barry to Star Labs.
To treat him there, instead of the hospital.
We had met Caitlin and Cisco along the way, whom I had become good friends with due to visiting Barry as often as I could, along with Iris and Joe.
But, despite their attempts, there was no progress on Barry.
It was like any other day, where I would come to Jitters, and brainstorm what to write for my article there.
Iris had left at least thirty minutes ago, and I sat at a table alone, my headphones in, my laptop in front of me.
I was dressed in a pair of black ripped jeans, black heeled boots on my feet to match them. I had a slim emerald green long sleeve on, and my hair was shorter than it was nine months ago, as it ended mid chest.
My hair was straight and in two braids, a gray beanie on my head to finish off the look.
My eyes were glued to my computer screen, as I typed away, my music blasting in my ears, the strong aroma of coffee filled in the cafe.
I looked up for a second, grabbing my iced coffee, taking a sip, but I had to do a double take.
My heart stopped.
There he was.
Barry Allen walked through the doors of Jitters, his eyes glued to me, and he looked better than ever.
I choked on my drink.
I fell into a coughing fit, setting down my coffee, pulling out my headphones.
Barry walked over to me, his hand rubbing my back.
I couldn't believe he was touching me right now.
The second I calmed down, I leaped up and into his arms, my arms tight around his shoulders, my legs folding due to how I was hanging off of him due to our height differences, "Barry-"
Barry's arms wrapped about me tight, as he held me right there, "Hey, you."
I slipped away from him, my hands on his forearms, "You're awake- oh my god, why didn't Star Labs call us?"
Barry's boyish grin grew, "I just woke up."
"Should you even be up?" I was astonished, "Do you want a coffee- to sit down?-"
"Zee, I'm- I'm okay." Barry nods towards me lightly in assurance, "I promise."
My expression faded when the thought crosses my mind, "I watched you die, Barry- over and over, I mean, your heart kept stopping. I don't think you should be up- I think you need to rest-"
"Hey-" Barry grabbed my hand and placed it over his heart, "Still beating."
"Yeah-" My voice went quiet, "Really fast-"
I jump at the sound of glass shattering, my head turning towards it, noticing Iris' coworker, Tracy on the ground, cleaning up the mess she just made.
When I looked back at Barry, he looked like he had just seen a ghost.
"Barry?" I caught his attention, "Are you okay?"
Barry blinks, "Yeah- yeah, I'm fine."
"Okay-" I inhale sharply, dropping my hand from his chest and beginning to pack my things, "Joe and Iris are gonna be so happy to see you-"
"I actually already ran into Iris-" Barry admits, "She said to meet her at CCPD when I came and got you."
"Alright-" I place my things in my bag, throwing my backpack over my shoulder, "Let's go."
-
"Oh, you scared the hell out of us, kid." Joe hugged Barry tightly, Barry smiling as they pulled away.
"Yeah, that was quite the nap you take there, baby-face." An officer patted Barry's cheek, "And you still look twelve."
"You look okay." Joe had a hand on Barry's shoulder, "Are you really?"
Barry nods, his smile convincing, "Yeah."
"Detective West, we've got a 5-50 in progress at Gold City Bank." A woman came over to Joe, "Two dead. Storm's really picking up on the south side, grab your rain gear."
"I'm sorry, Barry, I gotta run." Joe apologized and grabbed his jacket, giving Iris a kiss on the cheek.
Barry looked at him, "Do you need my help?"
"No, you take it easy, there'll be plenty for you to do once you've settled in." Joe points, then called out before walking away from us, "Let's go partner."
"Hey, Allen." Eddie walked over, putting on his blazer, "Glad to see you."
Barry nods, his lips pursed, "Thanks, Eddie."
Eddie looked at Iris and smiled, "Hey, Iris."
"Detective, you should go, my dad doesn't like to be kept waiting." Iris had her arms crossed, her act making me roll my eyes.
"Glad you're back." Eddie said, his face falling at Iris' words, then followed Joe out.
"Iris! Got a minute?" An officer called for her as she walked over to him, beginning a conversation, leaving Barry and I alone.
Barry turned and noticed the memorial for Chyre, as I walked over to it with him, "The night of the explosion, Clyde Mardon shot and killed Chyre. Mardon and his brother died trying to escape their plane crash."
"Hey Barry." Barry was greeted yet again, "Good to see you."
Suddenly, I felt a gust of wind beside me, my head turning, noticing Barry next to me with wide eyes and the same look he had in Jitters, papers flying around the desk.
"Screw you!" The mugger screamed, being dragged away by the two officers.
"Barry-" I notice the look on his face, "Are you okay?"
"I- I'm fine." Barry stammers and stutters, "I- I just need some air- I'll call you tonight, okay?"
With that, he ran off, leaving me confused as ever.
-
"My boss keeps giving me really boring assignments." I told Barry as we walked down the sidewalk together, "I'm bored. I want to write about something interesting."
"He's your boss, Zee." Barry nudges me playfully, "He has the right to assign you to whatever he wants. Plus, isn't that what you said- nine months ago?"
I hit his arm gently, "Not funny."
This earns a laugh from him but it soon faded when we were outside of Jitters, and Barry had caught glimpse of Eddie and Iris' lips locked.
My jaw dropped, not knowing what to say as I looked between them and Barry.
She hadn't told him yet.
When Iris pulled away, her eyes were wide when she caught sight of Barry and I.
"Barry-" I grabbed his arm, pulling him along, "Come on-"
Iris' eyes were glued to me, as I mouthed to her that I would explain everything to Barry and she didn't need to go through the torture.
Barry let me pull him along, and the minute we were out of sight, I let go of his arm, the words slipping out of his mouth instantly, "She's with Eddie?"
"First of all- you can't tell Joe because she made me promise and I'm making you promise." I said all in one breath, pressing my palms together.
"You knew and you didn't tell me?" Barry looked at me, something flashing in his eyes.
"It wasn't my secret to tell!" I bust up defensively,
"She- was supposed to tell you."
Barry's hands slip into his pockets, scoffing, "Do you know the backstory too?"
"I do-" I trail off shamefully due to not telling him, "When you were in a coma- Eddie covered Joe's shifts, so that Joe can be with you with Iris and I. I guess- she got coffee with him to thank him and now they're together. And I mean- she's really happy, Barry."
Barry stops and looked at me, "Okay- dating your partner's daughter, it's not against department regulations?"
"Wait- why are you so upset?" My eyes scan his features, "She's in a good place right now, Barr."
Barry made up an excuse, but I could see the look in his eyes, "I just don't like having to lie to Joe, you know?"
My eyebrows furrow, "Are you in love with her?"
Barry's eyes connect with mine, going silent, as if I had read the words written on his forehead.
"Oh my god- you're in love with her." I blink, looking away from him, everything hitting me like a truck of realization.
The sounds of siren's and honking got closer and closer, Barry and I look in the direction of where it came from.
The police car swerved, and heading towards us in full speed, Barry's eyes widening as a gasp left my lips.
Barry grabbed onto me quickly, pulling me down to the ground and behind the plant, the car crashing into that and not us.
I looked up, my eyes following the car that was being chased, catching a glimpse of the driver, "Is that-"
I felt another strong gust of wind from beside me, my head turning in that direction, noticing I was alone, "Barry?"
-
I stood next to Barry on the crime scene, my attention completely on him as I let out everything I held in.
"I swear if you leave me like that again, I'll-" I began, pausing, "I'll do something- I just don't know what."
Barry shot me a look, "I promise- I won't leave you like that again."
"You scared me, Barry." I huff, then watched as they wheeled the dead mean on the stretch, "Poor guy- the way that fog came in, I have never seen anything like it."
"Barry! Zee!" Joe was walking over to us, looking at Barry, "What the hell were you thinking having her out there?"
Then Joe points at me, "And I told you, when you see danger, you run the other way! You're not a cop!"
"Sure, but I'm an adult who's completely capable of making her own decisions." I shot right back at him, my hands on my pockets.
"Joe, I need to talk to you." Barry stepped to the side.
Joe stopped him, "It can wait."
"No, now." Barry sternly said, as Joe walked away from me, and over to Barry, "I know who did this."
"It's Clyde Mardon." Barry told him, "I know, everybody thinks he died in a plane crash after the Star Labs explosion, but he is alive."
"All right, something happened to him that night- I think he can control the weather." Barry explained, "The recent robberies, they all happened during freak meteorological events, and when I just confronted Mardon, the street was instantly enveloped in fog."
Joe stood there, staring at Barry; obviously still upset about how we almost got killed.
"Of course you don't believe me." Barry shook his head lightly to himself, sighing, "You never believe me."
"Okay- you wanna do this now? Out here? Fine." Joe's tone was filled with spite, "Mardon is dead- there is no controlling the weather, Barry."
"Joe- stop." I stepped closer to them, knowing that this was about to take a bad turn, "I saw him too."
"Just like there was no lightening storm in your house that night." Joe ignored me, and went on, "It was your brain helping a scared little boy accept what he saw."
Hurt flashes in his eyes as Barry's voice was shaky but calm, as he shook his head, "My dad did not murder my mom-"
"Yes, he did!" Joe bursts, "Your dad killed your mother, Barry. I am sorry, son, but I knew it, the jury knew it, now he's paying for what he did."
"Joe, enough!" I walked over to them.
"No, Zee!" Joe wouldn't stop, "I have done my best to take care of you since that night, and I never asked for anything in return, not even a thank you, but what I do ask now, is that you for once in your life, see things as they are."
Barry stares at him for a moment, before shaking his head, turning and walking away.
"Barry-" I sigh, then looked at Joe, angry at him, "Why the hell would you say that?"
Eddie slowly walked over to us when Joe didn't reply, "You're not going to believe this."
"We've got the eyewitness' sketch of the robber from the bank job." Eddie pulled out the paper and showed Joe, "If I didn't know better, I'd say that's Clyde Mardon."
I scoff, looking at Joe, "Can't tell eyewitness' out of spite that Clyde is dead if they saw him."
With that, I turned and walked away.
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